Huntsville gazette., 1887-05-28

AAO OouuNCl@uu1 SctIu 10 nave udu uuO
best Of it during the earlier part of this
prolonged struggle, which did not end
with Cesar's coming. In one of the
battles, Imanuentius was slain, and the
Trinobantes threw themselves under
C@sar's protection. But hostilities
were renewed on the departure
of the Romans, and con-
tinued under the two succeeding Kings
of the Catuvelauni, Tasciovan and
Cunobelin, the latter of whom was the
Cymbeline of Shakespeare. This tumu-
lus may, then, be the mound which
covers the slain of one of these fierce
fights, and Imanuentius may have him.
self been buried here.
But the suggestion that British
tumulus still exists intact within four
miles of Charing Cross is sure to be
received with incredulity. 1t will be
pointed out that multitudes of people
must have passed over these grassy
slopes in nineteen centuries; and that
if of British origin the sides must have
become obliterated by wear and tear.
1t will be urged that antiquaries of
past generations would have rifled such
a heap of buried treasures as the grave
of hundreds of British warriors. And
these and the like objections will de-
rive an added force from the local
tanned, though it does not appear to be
supported by written authority that
this is none other than a plague-pit-a
grim relic of the Great Plague. This,
it is said, is the reason the mound has
not only never been opened, but so long
Stunned that its outlines have remained
as well defined as when it was first
made. Rightly or wrongly, it is still
commonly believed that even an inter-
ment of two hundred years is not
enough to destroy the germs of the
Plague. So it is to be feared that the
mystery of the Hampstead tumulus will
still 60 unexplained.
But even these do not exhaust the
etym ologies of Parliament Hill, for it
shares with another eminence in the
grounds of the Baroness Burdett- Coutts
the doubtful honor of having been the
TRAITORS HILL" OF the two, however,
Parliament Hill seems to have the bet
ter claim. This name is also attributed
to the associations of the spot with Guy
Faux and his friends, which we have
already shown to rest upon only the
scantiest foundation. But another
curious derivation has been unearthed.
In 1861, Thomas Venner, wine cooper,
headed an insurrection against King
Charles. The episode has long been
forgotten, and can scarcely be found
in any of the more accessible histories;
but it is none the less historical. After
killing one or two persons, Venner, at
the head of insignificant rabble, took
up his quarters in Caen Wood, and
thence threatened London for three or
four days. 1t says much for the nerv
BUSINESS of the age that the metropolis
should have been reduced to state of
panic by a handful of silly bigots. Yet
that this was the case sufficiently APP
pears from the State Papers of the
time. The number of the insurgents
was absurdly exaggerated, and the
widest rumors were afloat as to the
crowds that were flocking to the rebel
standard Short-lived as the rising
was, it lasted long enough to fasten it
self upon the popular imagination. 1t
had tragic ending. Venner and his
crew no sooner ventured into London,
than they were overpowered; while, a
few days later, Venner and Hodgkins,
another ringleader, were hanged,
drawn, and quartered. And although
these traitors met with such speedy
and condign punishment, which shows
that the authorities of the time under
stood the art of suppressing rebellions
much better than we do, it is quite
possible that they gave their names to
both the Traitors Hills of Hampstead.
But however this may be, we have
shown that these spots have many
sided interest apart from their pic
turesque surroundings. Whether it be
plague-pit-which does not sound
salubrious-or q veritable British bar
row that crowns this hilltop, may be
doubtful; but few probably will dis
pute the claims of the Hill and its fell
lows to be preserved. ( Chambers Jour-
nnI